Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are sometimes necessary in aged horses to keep them comfortable.

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Q. I have a 38-year-old grade gelding with huge, arthritic knees. He fell three weeks ago. Radiographs show nothing broken or fractured. My veterinarian wants him on Bute forever. Is there anything else that could help him with no side effects?

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A. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs are sometimes necessary in aged horses to keep them comfortable, and many horses do not have any problem being on daily NSAIDs, including phenylbutazone (also known as Bute).

There are many joint supplements commercially available that can help the horse with mild arthritis, or help in combination with NSAIDs. But if the arthritis is severe you might, as your veterinarian suggested, need to use drugs to alleviate the chronic pain.

About the Author

Dianne McFarlane, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, is an associate professor in physiological sciences at Oklahoma State University. Her research focuses on using a comparative animal approach to understanding the biological changes that accompany aging and the age-related factors that promote risk of neurodegenerative disease.

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